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Child’s Allergy Inspires Sweet Business Idea

If you’ve stayed away from chocolate because you’re allergic to eggs, one Ohio mom has cooked up a sweet concoction that won’t send you to the...

If you've stayed away from chocolate because you're allergic to eggs, one Ohio mom has cooked up a sweet concoction that won't send you to the hospital. What's turned into a full-fledged business started out of concern for her young daughter.

Beth Chericos’ daughter Amanda was just 14 months old when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening dairy and egg allergy. It was a full time job finding her safe food to eat.

“I could find everything but chocolate and it broke my heart that she couldn't have chocolate for Easter and Halloween and all those great holidays,” Chericos told WOIO’s Brian Duffy.

So she went to work in her kitchen, not only for her daughter, but for the kids of friends who also had food allergies.  Amanda's Own Chocolates was born.

“Once they started having it, giving it to their friends, everybody said ‘this is fantastic, this chocolate tastes like normal chocolate,’” Chericos said. “So we said ‘aha! there's a business right there, we can help lots of other kids.’”

 
Not only are Amanda's Own Chocolates dairy free, they're peanut free tree nut free gluten free egg free. They're vegan and they're kosher.

Seven years later Amanda’s Own Chocolates is a profitable business. Most of her sales are made from her web site.

Like any business they are developing new products.
"One of the things that people have said they really have a need for is safe cookie dough,” Chericos said. “So we've developed chocolate chip cookie dough that will be available soon."

Chericos and a very small, but full time production staff make all of their products in Westlake, Ohio.

For more information visit: http://www.amandasown.com/

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